When Heaven and Hell Collide
by IsadoraMaryAlice
Summary: THIS STORY IS NOW DISCONTINUED. THE RE-WRITTEN STORY IS KNOWN AS ETERNA. PLEASE, VISIT THAT ONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST!
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy or any of its characters. They all belong to Square Enix. I only own the plot, and the video games (sadly).

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><p><em>oooOooo<em>

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><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

Have you ever wondered why history exists? Or why is it that past happenings always mark our present and future? Does it fascinate human beings when they hear of old wars, old mistakes that actually turned out to be for the better, legends of fantastical creatures that once existed, yet now are gone? And why is it that every story starts with once upon a time?

This one is no exception.

Whether it be in the form of life, or of death, what we all need to remember is that everything that has happened has been for a reason, be it good or bad.

I welcome you into my life, because I want you to hear of this amazing adventure that recently happened. If I don't tell you of it, then how is it going to move forward and become a part of history? Everything might sound odd to you, but this is how I demonstrate that it was indeed real. How about we start with something as basic as life itself?

My name is Alice, and this is my story, my part in the history of the old Keyblade War.


	2. New Beginnings

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy or any of its characters. They all belong to Square Enix. I only own the plot, and the video games (sadly).

**Author's Note: **Hello again, and welcome to my second fanfic! :D

I am pleased to inform you that this will be my new baby, and I will give my all towards it. I really hope you can give it a chance and not shy away from my original character. I'll try as hard as I can to not make her a "Mary Sue". If she's tuning out to be that way, please let me know, **_IMMEDIATELY._** And just so you know, I have this story all mapped out on my mind, so hopefully I can write it fast. I will put **_no time or day limit _**because I write when the mood strikes me. If I do it forced, I do a shitty job. So pray that my muse will stay put right inside my mind and everything will be alright.

If you find any mistakes, or if you have difficulty on reading it because of its various POV's, let me know. After all, I'm here to please you all. ;)

P.S.: This is a het story. The yaoi one will have to wait for a while, but I'll get there and that's a promise.

**Warnings: **Language, for now.

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><p><em>oooOooo<em>

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: New Beginnings<strong>

I was born in the town of Damascus, which was a small island located next to other ones, such as Hithorn, Anasi, the Cerci chain, and our main one, Destiny Island. I was raised by the beautiful, strong woman known to everyone as Anita. She was the most excellent example of how someone should go through life. She was very optimistic, a happy-go-lucky kind of woman who never doubted in herself, never wavered on anything she did, or on her faith. Those were things I admired in her, and envied a bit. How was it that she was like that when she had a terminal disease?

She was also my savior through my youth. You see, I had inherited a type of birthmark, a scar protruding from my left eye and ending at my cheek. Of course I would develop a low self-esteem, since my school companions always made fun of me. Ever since day one outside of my home left an impact on others and on me as well. By the time I started coursing through high school, my mind was in shambles. I always thought of myself as the ugly duckling who apparently wasn't getting any of the beauty the swan had. To top it off, I wore hideous glasses that covered half of my face; my ears were pointy and looked like an elf's, and I hid them with my hair, which was a curly mess and looked like bouncing springs. I was a hideous thing, and it was no wonder why they all pointed at me and whispered behind my back. I got bullied every day too. I had had one friend through it all, but she ended betraying me. Those days got even worse, since Anita announced we had to move for reasons I would rather not hear.

"Where?" I asked.

"To the main island, child."

"Why? What's the purpose of us going over there? Is it because of me?"

"No," she quickly answered, making me think it was a lie, until she completed her sentence. "Alice, my condition has gotten worse. The doctor said that there's only so much he could do. The machinery on the other island is more advanced, so he thinks it could be more effective."

Not minding the moving part one bit, I demanded from her what worried me the most. "Explain how worse."

Sighing, she said "The cancer has spread along my spinal cord, and if I don't treat it soon, I'll be on a wheelchair for what's left of my life."

Getting mad at the world for these unfortunate events, I told her to act on her doctor's decision as quickly as possible. Besides, a change in scenery would probably come in good for her.

Three months later I finished school, and we started making preparations for the move. Thanking Doctor Morrison for everything he had done, we left on a sunny morning of June. A couple of days later, we were installed and living on Destiny Islands. I got employed on a store near the beach and our house called 'Surfing & More', and the money I generated was for mom's hospital fee.

Working at the beach on summer had its benefits. The cash we won was double the normal amount thanks to the tourists, and I met wonderful people every day. They never even commented on my scar, and that made me very happy. Then came the day were I met the most important people in my life.

It was June 27, 2008. The shop was, surprisingly, empty. My boss, Maria, gave me the rest of the day off, since I had worked hard and not once asked for a break. I decided to head for the beach, to look at all the colorful people I had yet to see. Some tourists were lying on a towel taking a suntan; others were simply swimming and just having a good time. I smiled, thinking that maybe one day Anita had to come outside and see this for herself. Sitting down on a shaded patch of sand, I searched in my little bag for my sketch book and a pencil. I started to draw everything, from the people enjoying themselves, the sun, sand and sea, to the palm trees and the seagulls flying near the water to catch some fish.

So immersed I was in my work that I hadn't noticed time pass by, along with the arrival of a new group of teenagers. I only saw them when they yelled "Watch out!", because a soccer ball was aimed straight at my head. And not heeding the warning on time, it hit its mark.

"Oh shit, are you alright?" asked one of them.

"Define fine and I'll let you know if my predicament is the same as its meaning."

"Sheesh, _sorry_."

"You should be, you know."

And when I handed the stranger his ball, I froze. He was, by far, the most handsome guy I had ever laid eyes upon. His skin was the color of snow, and so was his hair. I somehow knew he was taller than me, probably six feet, and his body was sinfully carved. His forearm muscles sexily flexed, along with his legs which were to _die_ for. And his abs, oh my God! If I had counted correctly, he had eight little squares perfectly shaped. But what drew me to him the most were his eyes. The most gorgeous aqua-green color stared back at me with unabashed interest. And that was when I looked away, because he was not looking at _me_, but at my scar.

I hurriedly started packing my things while getting up to leave, and I freaking tripped with a branch, making everything in my bag fall out. I was absolutely embarrassed and wanted to escape the scene, when the others walked towards us. Two of the girls, one blond and the other a red-head, came forward and helped me pick my stuff from the ground. One of them had my sketchbook and rudely opened it, seeing my private drawings.

"Wow girl, you certainly have talent! Hey, is this one our beach? It looks so real!"

"Selphie come on, hand it over," said the red-haired girl.

"Oh, sorry!"

When I had my precious book back in my hands again, I started to back away, but the white-haired dude called me.

"What's your name?"

I stared at him for what felt like an eternity, and promptly left. The indignant words of the guy had reached my ears, and I completely ignored them. I was used to words like those anyway. On my way home, I couldn't help but think of those people. Maybe what drew me to think of them was their charisma, or their beauty. When I reached my destination, though, Anita was throwing up on our front porch and I raced to help her, forgetting for the time being that I had met a group of perfection.

Three days later no incidents occurred, on mother and the gang's part. July first came around, and I had found out that a special carnival was being held on the big boardwalk. I decided to take Anita with me, since the only places she had seen so far were the hospital and the house. We had so much fun. I could've passed out from happiness. Getting on the Ferris wheel with mom beside me, I hadn't noticed the other occupants in the little cart, but they had.

"Hey, aren't you the girl who rudely left after Riku asked you your name?"

It was the girls again, and thanks to the blond one I had found out his name. It suited him, I thought. Feeling thoroughly awkward, I evaded their gazes and her question. Mom on the other hand, berated me in front of them.

"Now Alice, be nice! Remember our chat a while ago? You promised you would try and meet new people."

"I have, Anita! But-"

"No buts, missy," she interrupted. "And you better apologize to these young ladies and their friend when you see her."

"Actually ma'am, she is a _he_."

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry," mom chuckled.

"That's okay. Um, Alice was it?" continued the red hair. I simply nodded in return. "My name is Kairi. We meant you no harm that day, and we still don't. How about we make it up to you? Let's go eat something. Don't worry, it'll be on us. Anita can come as well."

"That sounds like a lovely idea," said mom. And that was how I found myself stuck with two overenthusiastic girls fawning over every little word that left Anita's mouth, including as to why I sometimes acted with the wrong foot, using words such as 'sensitive', 'outcast' and 'alone'. She also said that I always worried for her, and that was a big mistake, because she then had to explain to them about her condition. They gasped and expressed how sorry they were, and that they hadn't known. I was about to let out a sarcastic duh, but I held it in.

"It must be rough for you."

"Yeah," added Selphie.

"Don't you worry, I'm a tough woman and I can handle the pressure."

She sure as hell did. Wanting to shy away from reality, I excused myself and went to the bathroom. Once there, I looked in the mirror and saw the hideous thing on my face, comparing myself with the two pretty girls that had bought us dinner. Why couldn't I be as beautiful as them? Or at least be me, without the scar? Maybe then people would see me on a different light. A lonesome tear escaped from its hiding place just said duo came in. Obviously, they saw me.

"Alice, what's wrong?" they asked.

"Nothing," I tiredly answered.

"Bull crap, girl! Something's the matter and we want to know what!"

"Selphie, I don't think-"

"You really want to know?" I interrupted her. "Fine! I envy people like you, and I stay far away from them because of it. The reason? Because they're damn beautiful! They've never been through any of my ordeals, and neither have you! I've never had friends, and the only one I did have betrayed our friendship for a guy that always bullied me, because she liked him! And everybody wonders what's wrong with me…"

Wiping my eyes with the sleeve of my shirt, I turned and gave them my back. The tension in the air was palpable and the girls stayed quiet for a few seconds. Selphie broke the silence.

"We'll be your friends, then."

"Don't do it because you feel sorry for me. Pity is not what I need. Besides, you wanted answers and I gave them to you." And with that said, I left the bathroom in order to look for Anita and return home.

The next day, I worked until I developed exhaustion, but I didn't want to stop. I wanted to forget about everything, except Anita of course. Humming a bit to myself, I kept on organizing shelves with my working buddy Alex, without noticing the costumers that entered the store.

"Good morning, how may we help you?" asked Maria.

"I'm looking for that new soccer equipment that arrived yesterday."

"Ah yes, come this way please. Hey Alice? Would you be so kind as to handle the register for a while?"

"Sure."

When I got there, I dropped the surf board I had in my hands. I knew I had heard that voice somewhere!

"Nice to see you again, _Alice._" Crap. Thanks Maria, now he knew my name.

"Um, yeah, you too Riku," I murmured.

While he was doing his shopping, I couldn't help but stare. He was just so sexy! My muse struck me at that precise moment, and I took my drawing utensils out. Looking at him nonstop I drew his profile, because it was my biggest weakness. Starting with his eyes and nose, I continued my way down to his shapely lips. Then I drew the form of his face and chin, and finished with his hair and ears, which were somewhat visible. As I completed the drawing, I stared at it. In my hands was the picture of a complete stranger, looking at me with longing in his eyes. Why had I drawn him that way? Shrugging and shaking myself out of my reverie, I left my book on the counter and gasped out loud when I looked up. He was right in front of me, and had apparently seen me drawing him. He smirked while I blushed.

"That's pretty good. You should go to art school and make a living out of it."

Silently scanning every item he had chosen, he tried to initiate conversation. He asked if I would work here permanently, and I answered him with an I don't know; where I lived and studied, if I was just an exchange student or if I lived around here. I told him it was none of his business. And then…

"Go out with me."

"What?" I incredulously yelled.

"You heard me."

"I'm sorry, I just realized that I developed problems with my hearing."

"I'll repeat it as much as I need to, then. Go out with me."

"No."

His smile immediately vanished. He kept on asking and I stood my ground, even though I was dying to say yes. He left in an angry storm and I laughed, because it was the only thing I could do. Maria joined in on the merriment as well.

"You're the first I've seen to deny him. Even _guys_ dare to ask him out."

"Would you?" I asked of her.

"Nah, I'm alright. Besides, I really don't want someone who has a tendency of having a new girl every time he pleases. At least that's what's rumored around."

That kept me thinking. Was something going on that I hadn't heard about? As the day reached its peak, and we closed the shop and said goodbye to Maria, I walked alongside Alex. We talked about nonsense on the way until we arrived at my house.

"This was nice," the blond commented.

"Yeah, it was. Thanks for accompanying me."

"No problem. Hey, how about if…"

"If?"

Sighing, he finished his thought. "If we go eat dinner tomorrow."

Okay, now _this_ made my suspicions grow. But he was just so nice, unlike Riku, how could I deny him?

"I'll think about it."

After saying goodnight, I went inside and told mom what had transpired that day. She was ecstatic, and said that everything was changing for the better. I _still_ had my doubts about that.

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><p><em>oooOooo<em>

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><p>Two weeks passed, and a mixture of emotions grew within me. I somehow became friends with Kairi and Selphie, thanks to their amazing insistence, and learned to tolerate Wakka, because he was like the big brother I never had. Tidus, on the other hand, was very obnoxious and hyper. I liked to kick his butt whenever I could, though, so that at least was fun. I still had to meet the elusive Sora, because he was vacationing with his parents on the Cerci chain.<p>

Riku and Alex were another story. Rumor had it, mainly Selphie, that an unknown person had started a bet. The winner would get one hundred dollars if they managed to be my boyfriend and dump me as soon as I had said yes. Oh, did I mention that another would be recording the event, and upload it to the internet? And guess who participated in it? Yeah, surprise, surprise. Those two were now officially on my hate list. Especially Alex, since he had won, sadly.

Anita's condition hadn't helped matters in the least. She had gotten potentially worse, but she was managing. Mom would always be a fighter. My friends and I decided to take her to Play Island as a surprise, and a distraction. I had been there two times already, but I've been busy ever since then, so I hadn't returned.

I cried when I saw mom that day. She looked lovely and young, as if her sickness never even existed in her. We accompanied her and discovered every nook and cranny the small island had to offer to curious people like us. After a playful day we went back, only to bump into Undesirable number two and a stranger.

"Oh my God, you're back!" squealed Kairi. Both she and Selphie ran up to him, giving him immense hugs, which he returned. He laughed out loud, and soon the rest of them joined in, except me. After kissing each girl on the cheek, he turned to us and introduced himself. Sora was the name. He proceeded to invite us to his house, were a sort of welcome back party was being held. I was about to deny this kind boy's offer for Anita's sake, but she beat me to it.

"I would love to darling, but I'm exhausted. Maybe you could take Alice with you. I'm sure she'll enjoy herself."

"Oh, alright then. You go rest while we take your lovely daughter with us."

"Mom…" I whispered.

"Hush now, and go and have fun with your friends. I'll be waiting for you, although I'll probably be asleep when you get there."

After parting ways, we walked all the way to Sora's house, which was three blocks away from ours. The party had already started, and when I got in I felt oppressed by all the people in attendance. Since the only ones I knew were already in the company of others, I stayed by myself. Not knowing what else to do, I headed to the backyard. Standing near a rosebush, I looked up at the stars and wondered why life had chosen me to be as miserable as I always was. As I kept staring, a white butterfly appeared out of nowhere. Considering it strange, I decided to follow it. The insect landed on top of a rock near the gate that led to the beach behind Sora's house.

"Hello there," I started talking to it. "What are you doing out so late? You could be killed, you know. You are too beautiful for that." It stayed there all the same. I smiled. The little thing was a stubborn as me. Out of my peripheral vision I saw something _else_ move; something that looked like a shadow, but then classified it as my imagination.

"Hey Scarface, don't go! The party is just about to begin!"

Turning around, I spotted a drunken Alex along with his _real_ girlfriend, Sarah. Yes, she knew about the bet as well and actually agreed to help him, by being the person to record. Other people started gathering around him, along with a clueless Sora, Riku and my friends.

"How about you come and tell us of how you fell into my trap?" Taking his girl by the waist and kissing her, he flashed the money for everyone to see. "One hundred dollars' worth, baby!" Most of them shouted with glee along with him, but my only friends looked outraged on my behalf, including Sora.

"Who else participated in this atrocity?" he asked.

"Why don't you ask your _best friend_ over there? He might know of someone," Alex mocked.

"What? Riku man, how could you?"

"I… had my reasons," he answered in a monotone voice.

"That's just sick and you know it."

He only shrugged, but it was apparent he was feeling a bit guilty and angry at himself for the decisions he had made. Sora tried to salvage the situation, to no avail. Everyone was laughing at what Alex kept saying about me, and they all pointed and whispered about my scar. It was just like in Damascus.

Suddenly, rage filled my heart, along with hate and the need for revenge. Running towards him, I grabbed hold of his shirt and looked him straight in the eye. "You will perish along with those who have hurt me." And with that said, I released some kind of white power, and it hit him square on the chest. After he fell, I looked around. They all were quiet and shocked, looking at me as if I were an alien or something. It was worse than before. I looked at my hands, then at Alex, and back to my hands. It wasn't until Sora said my name that I started running away to the beach, where people could harm me no more.

Running in the darkness was never a good idea, because you tended to end just like me, losing yourself and not being able to return the way you came from. "Hello?" I started shouting, to see if there was anyone who could've helped me. What I managed to do was wake the shadows, for they were somehow walking towards me with deadly intention on their purple eyes. What the hell were those? I started running again to get away from them, and not noticing where I was going, I fell to the water. The tide was high, and I felt myself getting pulled in.

"Help!" I shouted. "Please, someone help me!"

But no one had heard me on time, and I started to drown. I tried to hold my breath as long as I could, but I couldn't succeed. I was losing my sight, and my mind was getting drowsy.

I started hearing things, whispered words in the middle of my pain.

"_**Hearts… Save…"**_

The last thing I saw was a flash of white light before I fainted.

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><p><em>oooOooo<em>

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><p>I awoke coughing and throwing up water. My throat was raw from the salt, and my sight still had to return to its normal blurriness.<p>

"My… glasses…" I panted.

"They got lost."

Surprise flittered through me. Was that who I thought I was?

"Riku?"

"Yes?"

Aw, great. I now owed the person I hated a life debt, and he had somehow won himself forgiveness for what he did. _Wonderful._

"Thanks."

"No problem."

We went back to Sora's house, where Kairi offered me some clothes and a towel, and Selphie some water. Then I looked around.

"Where's everyone?"

"I kicked them out," answered Sora. "Those aren't friends of mine."

An inexplicable urge to cry overwhelmed me, and I had to let it go. The girls came forward and hugged me, hurt plain to see on their faces. No words were needed, for it was a moment the heart would understand.

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><p><em>oooOooo<em>

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><p>After two months, we became best friends. Yep, even Undesirable numero dos. We had had a lot of good times, and while they attended college, I kept on working. My boss had fired Alex the day after the incident, something I was thankful for. I also had the pleasure of talking to Riku about the same thing, questioning him as to how had he managed to find me. "Instinct," was his answer, something that made me doubt that even more. Had he followed me when I ran away? I could've asked the others about it, but I left that matter to rest. Anita's condition had gotten a bit better, but it was a far cry away from fine. I was also saving a bit of money, because I wanted to follow my friends' advice and attend art school in the future. All in all, everything was turning out alright.<p>

Except… the dreams.

I started having them right after I had almost drowned. They all were the same: bits and pieces of images and short undistinguishable words. I knew they had a meaning, and I wanted to figure them out, but real life had its own calling, and I had to attend it.

Starting anew was rough, I had found out, but new beginnings with family and friends by your side would always help, no matter what.


	3. Destiny Will Wait No More

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy or any of its characters. They all belong to Square Enix. I only own the plot, and the video games (sadly).

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><p><em>oooOooo<em>

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: Destiny Will Wait No More<strong>

Riku couldn't sleep. He had so many worries inside of his mind that he couldn't find the joys of unconsciousness anymore. His biggest one had to do with his darkness. Currently standing at the edge of the beach, he released his pent-up energy as small dark spheres towards the sea. He still walked Twilight's path, but on moments like those, which mostly involved Alice and he didn't know _why_, Darkness held him tight. It _always_ took a life of its own when it concerned her.

Ever since he met the weird yet compelling girl, Darkness had awoken inside of him again. He had managed to learn self-control since his and Sora's return, and had succeeded. It had all gone to the drain that day at the beach. At first he only noticed that _scar_, the one that made people look at her and shudder in disgust, but then he had stared at her chocolate brown eyes. They were so full of light! His dark side couldn't help awakening and getting curious all the same. It had led him to act against his will and just plain _hurt her_, secretly creating that bet to see her suffer and fall. What his sadistic part mainly wanted was to enjoy it. When his light had returned, making everything seem fuzzy all around, he immediately felt guilty, but it was too late. As he had seen her fled, he vowed that he would _never_ do that again. At that moment, he made one of the most important decisions of his life. To protect her was his goal now, along with acting like a brother to her.

That didn't mean his darkness was appeased and back on its leash. On the contrary, the more she trusted in him, the more she would suffer. Why did he react to her that way? Was it her affinity to Light? But he never acted that way with his friends or King Mickey, and they all belonged to the light, so why her? It got even worse when she demonstrated the power within her. Oh how he had trembled in pleasure that night! He remembered following her when she had left, because he had made a promise, and he would follow it, damn the consequences. After a year, though, no other incidents like that had happened again. That had led to many conversations between him, Sora and Kairi. They had wondered, questioned, and imagined every type of possibilities they could find on their bewildered minds, but no answers had come forth. They knew that the ones holding them lived in other worlds, and communications were practically futile.

While he let go of some of his power towards the body of water across from him, he heard laughter coming from Sora's house. He was supposed to be in there, what with his and Alice's birthday being celebrated that night, but he still had to let it _all_ go. He was infuriated with her, because she had brought her _boyfriend_ along. Yes, she had somehow won herself a guy.

"_**How?"**_his dark side wondered. He had no idea. Where had he come from anyway? His intentions didn't seem bad with her, but he had his suspicions. And if he ever tried to hurt her, there would be hell to pay. Hey, wasn't that what brothers were supposed to do? Shaking his head to clear his mind of negative thoughts, he kept on exercising his heart and tried to revert it back to light.

"Hey man, what's up? Aren't you enjoying yourself?"

So, Sora had noticed his absence. Sighing, he turned and faced his friend. "I just needed to… calm myself a bit."

"Ah, it's her again, right?"

"You could say that."

"She's by herself, you know."

Confusion spread through Riku. "What do you mean?"

"Well, Chris already left, because there's a sleepover after the party and only you, Alice and the rest are allowed over. It's my birthday gift to you guys and no outsider will join us, at least for tonight. Tomorrow we have planned a day at Play Island, and her boyfriend will be there."

He felt grateful to Sora that for tonight, it would only be them; just friends and nothing more. He would deal with tomorrow when it came. Smirking, he took Sora by the neck and started messing with his hair, making him squeal like a little girl. Releasing him, Riku laughed hard. Sora's usually messy hair was even messier now.

"What did you do that for?" cried Sora.

"Because your fun to tease," he chuckled.

"Oh shut up."

When the main event finished, they said goodbye to Anita and proceeded to the living room, were a horror movie marathon was waiting for their viewing pleasure. At their fourth movie, which was a zombie one, Selphie and Kairi were asleep, and only the guys and Alice braved the remnant of their planned night. By their last movie, Riku felt restless and was on the verge of shouting. Not from it, though, but from the girl beside him. His heart was pounding and his darkness overwhelmed almost every part of his soul. Light was scarce within him, and all the thoughts that were going through his mind were unforgivable. Yet he desired them, and wanted to act upon each and every one. He looked at her, and noticed she had finally succumbed into the currents of sleep. He growled low so that no one could hear him. She was just within reach, vulnerable for the taking. He wanted to devour her, to feed from her light, and make her _his_. Just as he was about to reach her neck and bite her, he heard someone clear their throat. Taking a deep breath, he counted all the way to fifty to calm himself down. What in the world compelled him to do _that_? Opening his eyes, he noticed Sora staring at him with worry in his eyes.

Standing up, he said "This time, don't follow me." The situation was getting worse, and it drove him mad. Thinking it a good idea he went outside, because he needed fresh air, and that was precisely what he was going to get.

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><p><em>oooOooo<em>

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><p>Sora stared at his retreating back, wondering what he could do to help him. How had the evening changed so much? They were all having fun, and it got even better when Chris had left. Sora thought he was the luckiest man on earth, what with him and a sleeping Kairi lounging on the armchair together, a squeling Tidus and a snoring Selphie on the floor, and Riku, Alice and Wakka sitting on the sofa, all sharing one of their favorite pastimes. He wanted this peace and tranquility to last for more than a year, because time had robbed them of so much. He felt honored that he was chosen to be a Keyblade Master, but he preferred it the way it was. Although he wanted Riku to share his emotions as well, he decided to leave him alone for the time being. After all, everyone deserved a bit of space for themselves.<p>

Accepting what fate threw his way, he smiled a bit to himself. While threading his fingers through Kairi's hair, he lost himself in his thoughts. He remembered the time when he and Riku had returned, because it was his favorite memory to date. It was the time when Kairi gave him a kiss, the only one they had shared so far. Sweeter than ice cream and better than any candy he had eaten, it had made him swoon. He catalogued it as his best day ever so far, and wished for it to happen again, because she had avoided any type of physical contact of the same type ever since. Maybe she was just shy? Or had she fallen for another guy? What made that thought stop dead on its tracks was the fact that she hadn't made any moves towards other men, thank God. So even though no other kisses had been shared, he was content with their thing. He _still_ didn't know what it was, but it was there.

He then remembered the time where he, Riku and Kai had decided to tell the others of their time apart. His other friends were still the same as ever, and he loved and cherished each one. They had all missed each other, and they had wondered where the hell they had been all that time, so the trio had given up and told them the story. His friends had been fascinated by Sora's tale, yet they were glad nothing worse had happened. He was happy that he had the chance to tell them about it, because it showed just how trustworthy his friends were, and he now had more people to confide on. It relaxed his mind, and his worrisome heart.

What boggled his mind was Riku. Lately, his friend was acting very strange, like tonight. He knew this because he and his best friend shared a deep connection, one that they established as soon as they got back to the island. It permitted him to know when Riku's darkness acted up, signaling any possible danger. They had learned this technique and strengthened it thanks to Kairi and yoga. At first they laughed at the idea, seeing in it a total failure. When it actually started to work, they had given their all and mastered the ability. It was paying off nowadays, because ever since they had met Alice, Riku's darkness was flaring up. Was she actually a threat in disguise? But she belonged to the light, as she demonstrated that time. People changed though, so he had kept an eye on her.

"Hey Sora?" asked a yawning Tidus. "Can we head to bed? I'm way tired."

"Sure. Let's all go to bed, then. It's one in the morning, anyway." He took Kairi in his arms and woke Selphie up with a weak kick on the ribs. Tidus and Wakka laughed, while she indignantly recovered and said some unrecognizable words. Sora's spare room was to be used by the girls, while the guys slept on his room. They only had one bed, so two persons had to share while the other slept on a sleeping bag. "Let's put Kairi on the bed, since she's already out. You gals decide on who's going to sleep with her."

"Ooo, kinky Sora," commented Tidus, and Wakka promptly hit him on the head.

"Oi, man leave your mouth shut."

"Unless he squeals. Now _that's _funny," Sora added.

"Hey!"

Chuckling, he laid Kairi on the bed and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight," he whispered. Straightening up, he noticed he was being stared by the rest. He blushed. "What?"

"Nothing," said a smiling Selphie. "So Alice, you choose where to sleep, since it's your birthday after all."

"You can have the bed. I can fall asleep wherever I lay."

After Sephie headed over to the bathroom, Sora was about to leave so that Alice could also prepare for bed, when she asked, "Hey, where's Riku?" He had no answer for that question, so he started to mutter that he didn't know, until the guy in question answered her.

"I'm right here." Turning around he saw his best friend, and he was a mess. Literally. His aura was barely visible, but he distinguished the darkness around him. His eyes were puffy and red, as if he had been crying, but he knew that wasn't the reason. Sora _knew_ that he had been fighting against his dark side, and he had barely won. Riku also knew that he knew, but he kept it quiet. No need to alert the others.

"Oh my God, are you alright?" She had apparently noticed his demeanor as well, but she also kept her voice low, as if she didn't want to make everyone else see him on his weakened state. Riku gave her a weak smile.

"I'll be okay. I'm just tired. Can you tell me the time?"

"Oh, uh, it's… one thirty."

"Alright, then I'll be headed to bed myself. Goodnight, you."

"Night…"

And with that, he left to Sora's room. Alice looked sad for a moment, but then shrugged it off as normal Riku behavior. Sora hadn't, so he said his goodnights and went to his room, which was noticeably absent of Wakka and Tidus. Where were they? Probably in the kitchen eating something before bed? For the time being he didn't care, because he wanted to talk with Riku.

"What the hell happened, man? You look like death had a party with you."

"Sora, drop it."

"Bullshit man. Tell me what happened. You can't just brush this aside and go on as if nothing's happened."

"I said drop it," he growled. And when Sora looked at his eyes, he gasped. They had turned purple. What in the world…?

"I don't know what's going on, but for everyone's sake as well as yours, you better _calm the fuck down_."

"I'm trying!" he exploded, and not in a nice way. "I've been trying ever since _she_ appeared! I don't know what the hell is wrong with me and why does my darkness desire her so bloody much! Can you explain it to me? Because I sure as hell can't. What is she anyway? Why can't I live as I used to, all normal and shit? I wish she disappeared, so that everything could go back to normal! I _hate_ this!"

Panting after his rant, he stood up and hugged himself as if to chase his fears away. Sora stayed quiet, because he didn't know what to say. He was just as confused as he was, and having no explanations towards this was making them go crazy. He walked over where Riku was, and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"We may be frustrated by all of this, and we may never find the answers to our doubts, but I promise that I will help you out and give you a hand in anything you need, as a friend, and as the brother you are to me."

He stayed in silence for a while, until he answered with a thank you. When the others arrived, they went straight to sleep, Riku and Sora on the bed, and the other two on the sleeping bags. What neither of them had noticed was the girl that hid on the bathroom after hearing their conversation, and rightly guessing that their talk had something to do with her.

* * *

><p><em>oooOooo<em>

* * *

><p>She was dreaming, she knew that, but what made it impossible to discern it as one were the screams. She saw figures all dressed in black, standing around a tree bark where a woman was tied up. She looked angelic, almost ethereal. Her face had tears, but her features were strong and determined. She looked desolate, yet somehow happy. Why? She certainly wasn't in a situation that merited happiness. As she began to speak, the dream shifted.<p>

It looked like play island. And standing near the paopu tree was a girl. She knew her, yet she couldn't see her features to say for sure. Her heart said otherwise. Just as she was nearing this young woman, she felt the air shift, and out of nowhere, yet everywhere, came the heartless.

"Move, go someplace safe!" she screamed, but the girl didn't hear her. When she pushed the woman, she turned around and screamed.

Kairi woke up shouting for Sora. Panting, she wondered why she had that dream in the first place. What was it about? Selphie had awoken thanks to her and asked if everything was alright.

"I guess… Nah everything's fine. It was just a dream… right?"

"Kai, you're blabbering. How about we go to the kitchen? You look like you need a drink or something."

After having their milk and eating some mini muffins, they headed back to their room.

"It's a miracle Alice didn't wake up with your screams."

"I know. Let's check up on her, just in case." As they reached the door, they went straight for the sleeping bag on the floor. "Hey Alice? Are you awake?" No response came forth, so she took the quilt away from her face, but it was no face. It was the pillow. Alice was not there.

"That's weird. Maybe she did hear you and went to the bathroom?"

Noticing that it was just two thirty in the morning, they decided to go back to bed, and wait for Alice there. Selphie fell asleep again, but Kairi couldn't shake the feeling that something was oddly wrong. Was it her dream? It somehow fitted with the situation going on right now. Half an hour passed by, and she was still awake. Deciding to go and check up on her, she went to the bathroom, and found it empty. She looked for her on the kitchen, the living room, and basically anywhere on Sora's house she could probably be at, but no luck. Desperation filed her, and she ran up to Sora's room, where she knocked on the door with urgency. Surprisingly, Riku answered.

"What's up?"

"It's Alice. She's gone!"

* * *

><p><em>oooOooo<em>

* * *

><p>They had all gone in search for her after Riku had a fit. They even called her boyfriend along, because they needed all the help they could get. Not Anita, though. She had enough on her plate to worry about, and they didn't want her scared for the disappearance of her daughter. They took Sora's motor boat and headed straight to play island, were Kairi had insisted they search for her. When asked why, she stayed quiet. Following her doubting lead, they all arrived at the island. Nothing was out of place and no one could be seen in their immediate surroundings.<p>

"She's near the paopu tree."

"Kai, how do you know that?"

"I… had a dream, a weird one. I think the girl in it was her… I don't know! I'm just following my heart, alright?"

Appeased by her words, they headed to their favorite spot. She was actually there, making Kairi's dream come true. It scared them a lot, because how accurate could one dream be? Chris ran all the way to where she was, and hugged her from behind. "Alice! Do you have any idea how worried I was?" She silently turned around and looked at the group assembled before her. Kairi gasped, because she had already seen that _look_ she was giving them.

"Oh my…" To make it worse, she started murmuring words that weren't understandable to any of them. Kairi only caught the words _heart _and _save._ Her gaze unfocused and she started trembling.

"Babe? Are you okay?" She looked past him and her friends, and stared at something beyond her reach that made her scream. When Kairi saw what she was seeing, she had the same urge as well, because heartless were pouring from the ground. Calling forth her keyblade, she started running towards them with Sora on tow, and attacked them as they knew how. The kept coming, though, and they were easily outnumbered. Then she noticed something that made her skin crawl. Those weren't heartless. Their eyes weren't yellow, but a deep purple.

"Sora!"

"I know, Kai. Those aren't normal ones."

"Where are they coming from if they're not heartless?"

"I think they're answering to his calling."

"Whose?"

Her question was answered when a dark blast breezed next to her, one that was aimed at Chris. "No!" She gasped, because this was not supposed to be happening. This, at least, didn't occur in her dream.

Riku was completely covered by a dark aura, one that made her shudder in fear. His eyes resembled those of the monsters, the same shade of purple matching their contour. His teeth had elongated, and looked like those of vampires. All in all, he made a horrifying picture.

Kairi had to wonder what the _heck_ was going on.

Sora tried in vain to return him to normal, but he wasn't even looking at them, but at the guy standing very still next to a murmuring Alice. He then proceeded to slowly walk towards them, and Kairi and Sora tried to stop him, along with the others. Riku saw this and sent a spell in the form of an invisible wave, and paralyzed them. They all saw in horror as he commanded one of those things to do his bidding, which was to invade Chris' body and take over it. A knife flew out of his pocket and landed on his hand as he approached Alice, and standing right in front of her he growled out loud, "_Mine_" and cut through her heart.

Her shout was agony to the rest, because they had no idea on how to stop this new menace in the form of their friend. But then, something weird happened. Alice had stopped screaming and was now looking very pissed off. Her eyes flashed white, and soon her body was covered in it. Riku was smiling like a madman, as if he knew that what was about to happen was good for him. She took the knife by its handle and got it out of her heart, and while her wound miraculously healed, she slapped Riku across the face, hard. Her light turned to blinding proportions, affecting all of them. Kairi fell on her knees from the force of it, and thought the others might have done the same. Their movements were free again and Kairi tried to reach for Sora just as the winds started to pick up. They heard Alice saying something that suspiciously sounded like _escape_, as if she wanted to run away from there.

And that's when Kairi felt it.

The world's portal was opening, granting Alice her wish.

She couldn't see the others, but she could hear the sea getting rougher by the minute; cracking and ripping noises, as if something were breaking; and the girl sobbing and shouting, this time pain laced in her voice. What was wrong with Alice? This wasn't normal. Kairi felt sympathy for her, but she and the others were helpless in this situation. They couldn't help a soul. Her light increased in volume, as if that were even possible, and so did the winds.

The portal was finally accessible, and the world's heart gave a cry of deep sorrow. She felt herself being lifted from the ground, and she started to panic.

"Sora! Where are you?"

"Kairi! I can't see!"

"Not again!" she cried.

Fate was certainly funny, because it _was_ happening again. Why did it insist on separating them? Did it somehow find it amusing to play with their lives? What did it gain from all of this? And now it decided to add the others as well? It made her angry, and a pissed off Kairi was never a sight to behold.

Wanting this moment to end, she closed her eyes and prayed that wherever they landed on had answers for this mess. And when she felt the pull of gravity decrease, she felt Alice's light vanishing. Finally being able to open her eyes, she saw three things that made her cry out in anguish.

Riku was still surrounded by darkness and he now had a new method of traveling, which consisted not of dark portals, but of black feathered wings. He had shifted and turned into one of those beings, one even more frightening than the rest.

The others had grim and scared faces, and the only two that had managed to hold on to each other were Tidus and Wakka. Selphie and Sora were way far already, and all alone to boot.

Then she saw _her_.

The woman from her dream.

She was as lovely as she was in it, and Kairi couldn't help but notice some resemblance with someone she knew. But who did she remind her of? The woman made eye contact with Kairi and for a moment, she felt in her heart that everything was going to be alright.

"_Trust me,"_ she whispered in her mind, and then casted a spell towards her and the rest, one that made them fall asleep. She then vanished in a shower of sparks that radiated from her body. And not being able to hold onto sanity nor sensation, Kairi let her mind go along with it, and fell into a deep, yet calm slumber.

* * *

><p><em>oooOooo<em>

* * *

><p>Yen Sid was currently pacing in his study room, where he awaited the arrival of the King. He had already foreseen that a being of Light existed somewhere, but he never imagined it to be with Sora and his friends. He had felt its power months ago, and had decided to delve into the matter without anyone else involved, because he thought it best to not alarm anyone, and that maybe he could solve the mystery himself. But as he began studying, he found out several interesting things, one that made him tremble in fear.<p>

Yes, even the great Yen Sid feared.

Wanting to have something to do while he waited, he walked to the window, where he consulted the stars, his most trusted allies. What they told him made matters worse.

So, the portals were open again, and the being was nowhere to be found. They only felt it when its powers activated, yet when they slumbered it was hard to reach. The stars also felt a dark presence, one that they hadn't felt in over a thousand years. It had awoken with the Light being, because it was drawn to her like a moth to a flame. The presence was also missing in action, apparently acting just like the other being. What worried him the most, though, was that the portal of Destiny Island also sucked in other of its people, and had brought them to their atmosphere. Now _that_ was new.

They had to search for everyone, before it was too late. As Mickey barged in through his door, Yen explained what he could to his pupil, and handed down some instructions.

"Master Yen, what's going on? I can feel the change in the air, and it's not a pleasant one."

"My young apprentice, it appears that our friends from Destiny Island have crossed paths with ours again. I do not know where they are, but it is imperative we find them, as soon as we can."

"What does this mean? And what do we have to do?"

He told him everything he had found out so far, and that this being needed protection_ at all costs_. He would even break rules if it came to it. Mickey couldn't agree more.

"There is one more thing I should warn you about."

"What is that?"

Sighing, he walked to the door. They headed over to the King's gummy ship, because they had to move, and fast. The fate of the worlds rested on that being of Light, and the first thing that they needed to do was locate it, because the threat was great, and it all rolled down with one name.

"Maleficent."


	4. Transfiguration

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy or any of its characters. They all belong to Square Enix. I only own the plot.

**Author's Note: **It's good to be back! :D

Now that I have a lot of free time, I can concentrate on my fanfic with much more ease. I apologize for the lateness of this chapter, but college had me frustrated and busy for the last couple of months. I know I said I was going to post chapters 3, 4 and 5 all together, but since I left them untouched throughout the whole ordeal, I'll only be posting the third chapter. It's shorter than the others, but I felt that it should end were it did. So please, enjoy reading it, and if you see any mistake at all, don't be afraid to let me know. After all, I'm all for learning!

Also, another POV comes to light! :D It might be confusing for you, but just go along with the ride. ;) Next chapter I'll mention who will be the main POV's, as I'm sure two or three more will appear. Just a heads up.

One more thing. The next chapters are bound to be weird and full of adult themes (gore, dark themes, smex, more language). So yes, it will have a rating change. Explanations will be had soon, though, so keep an eye out for that.

OH! And congrats to all of you who graduated this year (my sister included). May you all have bright futures ahead of you. :)

Now onto the show! :D 

* * *

><p><em>oooOooo<em>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3: Transfiguration<strong>

Leon was extremely bored. He was doing his routinely rounds around Radiant Garden, as if anything needed vigilance nowadays. What in the world did his friends see as dangerous? As far as they all knew, nothing had happened since their last fight. He had had a lot of arguments with Cid about the issue, yet he had lost every single one. Leon would've at least comprehended better if any of the others would also do those damn rounds, but they never did. Every time these patrols fell on his shoulders and frankly, he was getting tired of them. Since he didn't have any specifications in mind, he decided to head over to Scrooge's ice cream parlor and get some sea salt ice cream. He could have a break once in a while.

After enjoying his much deserved prize he kept on walking to the plaza, where he could overhear conversations easily and see if something fishy was going on. All he heard were the same damn things that he already knew about. Like how the town had been reconstructed again, being able to finish before the Flower Festival took place, how Cid had installed security cameras all over the place, that Aerith was an excellent doctor and she had a caring heart, how Tifa and Yuffie had helped the elderly with their heavy stuff, blah, blah, blah… Why couldn't the rest understand him and his reasons to stop these silly rounds? Nothing was amiss. Peace was centerfold on Radiant Garden, and nothing bad was going to happen, period. Sighing, he sat on a bench and stretched his overused legs.

It was funny, though. It seemed like only yesterday Sora had rescued them all. At that time, everyone thought it was the end of the worlds, but thanks to the persistent, yet strong of heart kid, they had managed to survive for another lifetime. Leon used to think those times were atrocious and had wanted them to end, but now he kind of desired them to be back. Hey, at least it would save him from dying out of boredom.

"Leon! Hey Leon!" Turning around, he saw Yuffie running towards him, overexcited as usual. He grudgingly had to admit that he would really do anything for enthusiasm like hers nowadays. It would do him some good. "Aren't you supposed to be doing your job? Cid will fry your ass if he sees you like this."

Snorting, he answered back. "Let him try. The old coot will probably end all the way in Traverse Town again. Besides, I was just resting for a while. There's no harm in doing that."

"Yeah, I guess… Anyway, now that you're here, I kind of need your help with something."

"It better not be one of your freakish experiment things again." He had all the right reasons to be afraid of her experiments. She had apparently been bored too because she had started doing those a couple of months back. And because he had nothing better to do, he volunteered for one of those. He was confident that she would get things right, because apart from the way she was, he just knew her to be smart. Well, sometimes. Assuming that had been a mistake because everything had gone horribly wrong. He had ended with blond hair, _for a month_. Cloud had made fun of him the whole time, doing it every chance he got. You know, he certainly found his sense of humor at the wrong time. Bastard couldn't even crack a smile at Cid's joke, which were pretty damn funny if he said so himself. Yuffie had been proud for achieving an impossible goal, and had tried to do it several times again with an unwilling subject, a.k.a. Leon, yet he rebutted her every approach. He really didn't want to end with a face full of hair or worse, develop boobs out of nowhere. He shuddered at the mere thought of it.

The ninja laughed out loud and sat down next to him. "No silly, I haven't had the time to think of a new one. Surprisingly, I've been too busy helping others to actually create one. This I'm about to ask you is totally different."

"Now you have me curious. What do you need me for?"

"Well, old lady Betsy wanted some arrangements made in her living room and needed some help in moving heavy stuff around, so I decided to give her the extra hand. Unfortunately, I saw the most hideous creature in the world plastered all over her wall and I had to take it down. I used my mad skills to send it to the grave, and voila! It died for good and Betsy is creature free."

"Yuffie? Narrow everything down to realistic terms, please."

"Oh, uh, well…" Sighing, she continued. "Actually, it was a spider. It was huge though, so don't blame me and my girly hormones! Anyway, I kind of… set the thing on fire?"

"You did what?"

"Hey, calm down! I haven't finished yet!" After taking several deep breaths, he motioned for her to keep going. "Only part of the wall got damaged, thankfully. I tried to fix it on my own, but I just couldn't. So that's where you come in, since you're the first one I saw. I need someone to help me fix it. You know I'm terrible with manly work like that."

"Yeah, and destroying a wall is very womanly."

"Eh …" she awkwardly laughed while rubbing the back of her head. "Well, ah, are you going to help me? Or should I find someone else instead?"

"Fine, I'll do it. But you owe me, you hear?"

"Yes sir! Now come on, she's waiting for us near the accessory shop."

By the time they were done with most of the wall, the sun was already set. Yuffie and Leon said their goodbyes to a thankful Betsy and headed over to Tifa's bar, were the rest of the gang would be waiting for them, just like every single night.

"Aren't the stars beautiful?" commented Yuffie.

Upon looking at the night sky and agreeing with the girl, Leon noticed something strange. "Hey, isn't the meteor shower next month?"

"That's what Merlin said. Why do you ask?"

"We might as well start making those wishes now. Look," he said while pointing at a star that was moving with supersonic speed. They followed it with eyes full of wonder, waiting for it to disappear like they always did, but it kept on going, and going, and going some more. At first they found that strange, especially since its radiance kept increasing, but then both of them gasped in shock. They realized that it was about to fall into their atmosphere.

"Yuffie, go get the others! I think that thing is about to fall near the central square!"

"Gotcha!"

As they separated, Leon ran with all of his might towards the main part of town. He was worried the meteor might fall when people were still there. Yes, some were really that oblivious. Without preamble, he started shouting to the nearby citizens to get as far away as they could from the immediate area. Just as they were finally about to listen, the idiots, the star hit its intended mark, creating a huge crater, and from the force of the impact they all fell to the ground. As the trembling receded Leon looked around. Dust covered the air, making him cough and sneeze. As he stood up, he noticed the others were nearby as well. They had made it just in time to feel the crash for themselves.

"What in God's name is going on?" asked a bewildered Cid.

"I don't know, but we better check it out."

They divided their tasks as fast as they could so that answers were quickly found. While Tifa, Aerith and Merlin cast water spells to cease nearby fire left behind by the star, Cloud and Yuffie calmed the people that had yet to listen to Leon's words. It was typical behavior for the citizens of Radiant Garden. He and Cid searched for a walkable path down the crater to see what in the world had landed on their home. The one way they could walk through was covered in huge rock formations, along with a bit of fire. Taking out their weapons for a just in case situation, they put out the fire with water spells themselves and kept on moving to the center of it. When they reached their destination, they saw a bundle covered in a white sheen of some sort. Was that magic? Leon extended his arm and was about to touch it when suddenly, the sheen disappeared, leaving behind the most surprising thing ever. A teenage girl was lying on the floor, completely naked. "What the _fuck_?"

Cid had just read his mind. 

* * *

><p><em>oooOooo<em>

* * *

><p>Three days had passed and the young one hadn't awoken from her slumber. During that time, Aerith and Tifa had cleaned up the girl and dressed her with new clothing and had settled her on a bed. While taking turns on watching over her, Leon had learned that the meteor thing was a special method of traveling from world to world for people who had no other way of doing it. Call it an emergency trip. Thank God that Merlin still lived. He would have been confused about the whole thing otherwise. The wizard had yet to figure out the rest, though, so they all prayed for the girl to wake up. As he waited with the rest, he thought of everything he could think of. He was bound to go mad if he didn't distract himself. This travel method thing could only mean one thing: the portals of the worlds were open again. What had happened for them to react that way? And were the heartless back? They probably were bound to show up again, but no matter. They were all prepared, waiting for the hunt that would appease their fighting genes. They hadn't used them in a while, but they all knew that their bodies were screaming at them for a fight. After all, they were the world's indirect guardians, warriors chosen by the light.<p>

Pacing around the kitchen at his new home, Leon was getting worried for his friends. What was taking them so long? It was just a freaking book, for God's sake! And Merlin's house was right next door, too! Why did the sorcerer all of a sudden have the urge to search for it? Was it going to come in handy for them? Was it going to help them understand things a bit more? He doubted it. It was likely going to surprise them. Stopping at his living room, he looked at his clock on the wall and then resumed his pacing again, wishing he had something better to do.

"Leon man, calm down."

He had forgotten that, in his state, Cloud had decided to stay with him and was sprawled on a chair at the table. Turning around, he addressed the man. "Easy for you to say, you're the king of the emotionless."

The blond snorted, stood up and headed over to the window. "My face might not show it, but I'm just as anxious as you are. Working with the unexpected is not my thing. Tell me, do you know who she is?"

"Nope. She doesn't even ring a bell." Huffing, he sat down on the vacated chair and looked straight at the other man. "What if this is happening all over the other worlds? Are they being invaded by heartless again? And what if they are as defenseless as they once were?"

"I don't think so. I mean, yeah some of them lack the experience, but when it comes to defending what's theirs, I'm sure they'll put up a fight. Besides, most of them fought next to the Keyblade Master. They might have picked up some of his fighting skills."

"You know what? You might be absolutely right. I hadn't thought of it like that." He smiled at the picture his mind provided him with. Sora would've certainly helped others to strengthen their defenses. That, at least, helped calm him down somewhat.

"Do you think the same thing befell Sora and his friends?" wondered Cloud after a bit of silence.

"Maybe. But for now, we have to keep waiting. I'll go nuts if I keep guessing answers like that."

But after twenty minutes of nothing, he stood up. "That's it. I'm going to look for them."

"Haul their asses over here. If you need help, just holler at me."

"Will do."

As Cloud chuckled, Leon reached the front door. When he was about to cross the threshold, though, a crash followed by a scream were heard. They both froze on the spot for five seconds, trying to decipher were the hell it was coming from. Then they rushed to Leon's spare bedroom, noticing that the shouts were coming from it. Entering, they saw the girl lying on the floor next to the bed, a crystal vase broken near her head. When she saw them, she screamed louder and tried to hide herself by adopting the fatal position while releasing shuddering sobs. The men kneeled next to her and tried to calm her nerves a bit.

"Hey it's alright, you're safe." While she hiccupped and let more tears fall freely, Leon rubbed her back in a soothing motion. "Cloud, could you get the others?"

"I'm on it."

When everyone had returned, the girl had stopped crying. Though her trembling remained, she looked a bit better now that the storm had passed. Upon seeing her, the sorcerer cautiously approached her and offered her a hand. "Hello, m' dear, my name is Merlin, and my friends and I are here to help you. But first, let's get you on the bed again, shall we?" Accepting the offer, she gingerly stood with unstable grace and immediately fell on the bed. "Isn't this much better?" Merlin asked, and she answered with a simple nod.

"Here, why don't you drink this? It'll help, I'm sure." Timidly accepting the offer from Aerith, she gulped the drink in one go.

"Could I… have more?" she asked in a throaty tone.

"But of course."

After drinking five glasses of water, she settled again on the bed, looking at each of them in a weary manner. Merlin addressed her again. "I know you just woke up and you might still be feeling tired, but we need to know a few things that you'll be able to provide us with. Can you agree to answer some questions? It'll be delightful if you could."

"I guess…"

"Brilliant! Now, onto business. How about you tell us what happened to you? I wager it was not a good thing." She shook her head no. "Then let us get comfortable. I'm guessing this will be a long story."

She smiled a bit and opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, a knock was heard on the downstairs door. "You waiting for someone Leon?" inquired Tifa.

"Not that I know of."

"Then it must be a civilian. I'll go and get it."

After she left, they all stayed quiet, not wanting to break the heavy silence that had permeated the room. That is, all except for Cid. "Well Leon, I guess this just proves that those rounds were useful after all, huh?"

"Yeah, yeah, can it you old coot."

"Who you calling old, _Squall_? I can show you anytime that these old bones still have strength in them!"

"Do you realize you just called yourself old? And stop calling me that name, you big oaf."

The argument continued, and everyone sighed in exasperation. Some things just never changed. Then they heard the girl speaking. "You two remind me of two of my friends. They're competitive just like that."

"Really?" asked Yuffie. "What are their names?"

"Could I have a guess?"

And once again, the girl got interrupted. Everyone turned around and faced the newcomer. To say they were stunned was a mild assumption. They were _petrified_.

"Yen Sid?" they shouted in unison.

"And the King?" added Aerith.

"Hiya fellas! It sure is good to see you all again."

"It would've been better under different circumstances," said Cid.

And that was when the room exploded with conversation, Leon being one of them. Different questions were fired at the same time, surprised tones mixing with anxious ones. Since when did Yen Sid make worldly visits? He _never_ left his tower for trivial manners such as this one. The old mage requested some semblance of order, which they granted him immediately. Then he noticed the girl sitting on the bed.

"Ah, so one of Destiny Island's children is found."

"Destiny Island? Isn't that where Sora's from?" wondered Leon.

"Indeed. So Merlin, did you find it?"

"Why yes, I did actually. Here you go."

Receiving the book, he sat down on the bed with the girl. "I believe you were going to explain to these kind people what transpired on your homeland, correct?" She nodded. "Well, I have here some answers to your own doubts," he said while showing the book to her, "as well as some of ours," he signaled to the group assembled before him, including himself. "But before we begin your story, and mine, how about you introduce yourself? After all, we do believe in manners."

After giving a sweet smile, she answered his inquiry. "My name is Selphie Tilmitt."

"And now," continued Yen, "it is time for our stories to take place. Everyone, please listen with a careful ear. What we're about to discuss will not be easy."

And all throughout their conversation, only one thought coursed through Leon's mind.

_Well fuck_. 

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><p><em>oooOooo<em>

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><p>I was drifting, finally figuring out that I had fallen through an abyss. My eyes were closed but I felt it. Where was I? And how was I able to float on plain air? I couldn't open my eyes, and I was terrified of what was going to happen. After all, I was, and always would be, scared of the unknown. I started hearing things, voices on the far away distance, grunts, screams and gruesome growls too. I also felt the strength of clashes, like swords in a fight. Shills ran down my spine because this was no mere threat but pure action. I could discern people, somehow realizing that they weren't able to fight against it. The only apparent solution they could find was running away. Never had I felt so alone and defenseless, so distraught.<p>

I finally felt the ground on my feet. I tried to open my eyes, but they only separated a little, making my sight blurry. Flashes of light and darkness caught my vision, but what surprised me the most was the person that was fighting what I thought to be the good guys. It was none other than Riku, and the power that emanated from him had me trembling. In what, I did not know. As I was about to slowly turn away and hide, I felt not just my eyes opening completely, but him looking at me as well. My body froze. My mind was telling me to run away and never look back, but my heart said otherwise. Loosing myself to his aquamarine stare, I completely overlooked the fact that he was the bad guy and ran towards him. Just as I was about to reach him I fell again, this time hearing whispered words.

They called my name.

"_Who are you?"_

_**Your time has come. Fulfill your duty.**_

"_What?"_

_**The hearts, Alice, save them.**_

As I looked down, I saw what appeared to be a floor made entirely of glass, and it had images on it. On the small circles were my friends and Anita, and I could be seen on it as well, but I was the bigger picture there. It was a beautiful place, one that had me speechless with awe. What had me confused, though, was that I had _wings._

"_Where am I?"_

_**This is your heart…**_

"_My… heart?"_

Landing on the glass floor, I started wondering around. If this was my heart, then surely answers could be found. I couldn't ignore the image on the floor, and I wondered why my heart had felt the need of drawing me with wings of all things. Was I some kind of angel? But they were beautiful and I was ugly, so I dismissed that thought from my mind. Reaching the other end of the platform, a door appeared out of nowhere. Thinking that the answers to all my questions were in there I simply opened it.

Stepping on another floor made of the same material, I filled my gaze with the new pictures on it. There were scattered roses all around, along with thorns, vines, white butterflies and blood. Then I spotted a pedestal, holding what looked like some type of sword. It had the shape of a key, its handle in the form of a heart with wings. Suddenly, the images started to move, and they etched themselves on the blade, surrounding it with vines that had thorns, and its ending with a rose.

_**Take it, it's yours.**_

Approaching the stand, I felt myself going all trancelike. And when I finally grabbed the sword, the white butterflies rose all around and fluttered by me. Some were covered in the red substance that I knew to be blood. I whimpered in pain and pleasure, the power invading my body being the cause of it. A small whirlpool of light cascaded around me and it attached on the blade, making it shine like a million stars. I held onto my sword as I fell on my knees, because I couldn't handle the pressure.

_**This is your destiny. Take your rightful place.**_

What _was_ my place? And what was my destiny? Did that even exist? Could someone explain it to me? As I was about to utter my questions out loud, the glass floor broke and I fell, _again_. This time, I remained floating. And then…

Pain, and a lot of it.

A burning sensation flowed through my veins, starting in my heart and ending on my back. I screamed in agony, wishing for the torture to end. I heard bones cracking, changing, and felt them _melting_. Tears were freely falling and I hugged myself, trying to somehow ease the pain. My vision turned white, my hearing disoriented, and my body was on fire. And if I thought this was torture, then the ripping in my back was certainly _hell_. I felt it opening, stretching, and creating _something_. Light was humming around me, waiting and anticipating the moment when it could do its part. My voice was already raw from all the screaming and my eyes dry from the crying. Somehow realizing that it was time, Light fused with the burning part of my body. And not being able to take it anymore, my mind succumbed to the anguish that my body was enduring.


	5. A Hidden Insanity

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy or any of its characters. They all belong to Square Enix. I only own the plot. (Also, I've been forgetting this one but I do not own Disney's characters either. Just saying).

**Author's Note: **Hello all!

Random Fact: Have you read the House of Night series? They are freaking awesome! Bottom line is, this story has a LAME ASS imitation of its narration, in case you were wondering. Just saying. :P

For those of you who have read this far, I thank you. It means a lot. :) It also means I have to warn you. This chapter deals with some **smut, **so I suggest you take the necessary precautions (for your own mind ;). So yes, this story will now be upped to mature. This chapter doesn't describe it that much, but I DO have plans for the future, so hold on to your hats ladies and gentlemen.

Also, I DID say I was going to point out the main POV"s of the story so here ya' go!

Alice: First-Person POV (The only one you'll encounter in this mode).

Riku, Sora, Kairi, Leon: Third-Person POV

And the occasional Third-Person POV's that will appear throughout the story will be the following: Yen Sid, Pete, Anita and Maleficent. These characters will probably stay hidden, but it all depends on my muse of course! I never know where it will take me.

And one last thing: this chapter will leave you with a WTF JUST HAPPENED HERE mindset, but I assure you everything will come to light... soon enough. ;)

Enjoy!

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><p><em>oooOooo<em>

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><p><strong>Chapter 4: A Hidden Insanity<strong>

Riku woke up with a start. Panting, he felt weak, pain, and hunger. He was not hungry for food though. He was in need of something totally different from it, yet in his clouded mind he couldn't figure out what. Opening his eyes, he scanned with blurry vision his surroundings but couldn't identify anything due to the room being filled with complete darkness. Clearly disoriented, he tried to move from his current position but found out that he couldn't. His arms and legs were chained to a wall behind him. Finding it strange, he racked his brain for some clue as to why the hell had he ended up in this position. What had happened for him to be there? And why the _fuck_ was he naked? Panic settled heavy in his heart when everything remained unknown in his head. It increased when he started hearing whispered noises. What were those?

"Hello?" he inquired in a strained voice. "Who's there?"

No answer had sprung forth so he tried again. The whispers increased in volume and afterwards, the shadows started to move. Riku thought they were heartless, yet one long look at them proved him wrong. Their most distinguishable feature was their eyes, them being the color of amethysts. He felt himself paralyze with fear because the way they crawled made him think of demons in the night, what with their black, small lithe bodies, their fangs showing every damn minute, and their tales covered in thorn-like substances. However, something in them was really odd. Even if their movements were scary as hell they didn't look hostile. In fact they seemed calmed, cool and collected. And if he thought that was strange, he certainly had a blast discovering that some of them were actually purring. When they reached his spot on the wall they started rubbing against him, like starved kittens looking for attention and affection. What in the world was going on?

"Isn't it amazing? After all these years, you still hold power over darkness."

Jolting out of his thoughts, he looked around and promptly found the source of that voice. The repulsiveness behind it hadn't changed one bit. "Maleficent!"

Throwing her head back, she gave her shrill laughter and then spoke with clear, even tones, giving the impression that venom had actually found a voice for itself. "I'm flattered you still remember me! I thought that maybe, with your departure back home, you had forgotten that I still _lived_." Beginning to notice her anger, he felt how the chains drew him back even further and cut through his skin. Were those magically sealed upon him? "Yes, you imbecile, they're magical and their signature belong to me. Care to try and free yourself?"

Riku looked at her with all the hate and anger his heart could muster. After guarding his every thought and protecting what was left of his light, he addressed her as politely as he could towards something he despised. Like, say, her. "Could you be as kind as to say what the _hell_ are you up to?"

Cackling, she answered with what was supposed to be mirth. But nothing short of it ever came from her despicable mouth. "Why Riku! I'm surprised you of all people assume that I'm going to give my plans away. How naughty of you! Did you, by any chance, forget who you were talking to?"

No, he hadn't. "Why am I here?"

"Because I allowed you to." That was no surprise. It gave one answer away, though. He apparently was a pawn to her game, again. But why on earth did she want him for? Uttering his question out loud, she answered back with one of her own. "Oh? Don't you remember?"

"Remember what? What are you taking about?"

"How about I remind you of not only what happened, but of what you did?" And with a sharp hit on the floor with her staff, the small emerald sphere in the middle of it illuminated the place and suddenly, memories bombarded him. Everything that occurred on Play Island replayed in his mind like some kind of horror movie gone wrong. And with every passing moment, he hated himself a little bit more. He got scared of what he had turned into, and even worse was the fact that he had power, and a lot of it. It was just like Maleficent had said. What hurt the most was that he had broken his silent promise to the girl. She looked so terrified and distraught! About to shout in frustration, he felt something awakening inside of himself as the memory of Alice's light invaded his thoughts. As his canines elongated, an intense desire took hold of him. Growling, he felt as his erection prickled and started to engorge, as if it had a mind of its own.

"YES! Feed your darkness; let it take control of you again! Let me see your astounding powers, Riku!"

Because of that dreadful voice, his vision on the pure hearted girl vanished, and so did his mounting want. Anger coursed through his veins and he started thrashing against his bonds. Regaining some control over his body's action, because he did not want to seem weak in front of her, he struggled to keep a calm façade and asked, in a taunting tone, "Is this why you tied me up?"

"Excuse me?"

Smirking, he intoned his next words with as much cheerfulness as he could drag from his beating heart. "Are you afraid that I might be able to actually hurt you? You know, that would really come in handy right now."

Gliding fast across the floor, she held his neck between her dainty hands and squeezed the air out of his lungs. "Don't ever assume things for your own, you vile _beast_. I simply chained you because you're about to be useful to me. So I suggest you keep that filthy mouth of yours shut before I sew your lips with my own hands." And with that said, she left the room through her swirling mist of death.

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><p><em>oooOooo<em>

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><p>"Water… Please…"<p>

No one replied to his pleas, just as he expected. He had lost track of time, too. Had it been hours, days? Weeks even? His body wasn't acting right. It needed relief from both his internal and external battle. Dizziness was now a common effect, one that never allowed him some peace and rest. At least she hadn't appeared anymore. He was grateful for that, because he sure as hell wasn't going to fight with her on his weakened state. However, as a substitute, she kept sending her raven as a type of watchdog. Oh, he really despised that bird with all of his might. He had so many plans for it, like boil it, skin it alive, or just plain choke it. Whatever choice would work, for he was just looking for a means to an end. Now if only he could free himself…

He gave a small gasp as he felt a cold chill near his thigh. It was one of those things again. Even after all this time, they still remained by his side. Riku thought it weird that they were faithfully there, looking at him as if he somehow were their ruler or something. Some time ago, he couldn't recall when exactly, he thought it a crazy idea to try and control them, as if that would work. He wanted to execute his plans but that damn bird was always there, never leaving when he was awake. Did it even eat, procreate, or bother anyone else other than him? He was getting tired of the same thing over and over. So, in addition to his plans, he decided to trick the bird and see if his suspicions were correct. His body might have been weak but his mind was wide awake, open to new possibilities, and all for his survival.

He took advantage of the semi relaxation he was in, if he could call it that, and pretended to fall asleep. He masked his senses with his new found power, just so that the bird wouldn't feel him probing as to when it left. He somehow knew that the raven would leave as soon as it felt him slumber, for how could one creature stay in the same place for more than the time allotted to its necessities? And just as he predicted would happen, Maleficent's pet flew out of the only way out, which was a small almost invisible hole near the roof, what he assumed would be one anyway. When he felt it far away, he spread his senses freely once more. The shadow was lying still by his side, so he looked down upon it and made eye contact with its frightening, expectant eyes.

As an experiment, he whispered in his mind, "_Move to my left._" The shadow did as commanded, and it shocked Riku to his core. They actually listened to him? It was way freaky, but it was his only chance at escaping. So he tried it one more time, a final experiment on his part. After all, he couldn't waste any more valuable time. "_Look for more of your comrades and bring them to me_." And as it left through a portal on the floor, he felt exited for the first time in a long time. He missed being free, and after the torture that witch had put him through he deserved some time of his own, and some _food_. Now he certainly was starving for it! The shadows, though, took their time to get back. What was taking them so long? His answer came in the form of many, many of them, an army assembled before him. It didn't have to be that much! He just wanted freedom. But he guessed the more the merrier.

"_Find a way to untie these chains, now_." When they heard his voice on their minds they all started purring at the same time. As one, the first ten or so moved towards him and did as he commanded. At first they tried the good old fashion way, trying to pry the cuffs with their claws. When several futile attempts passed by, some of them inspected the scriptures on the bindings. He certainly was taken aback by the way these monsters thought. Most of the heartless never behaved this way. They just relied on brute strength. But this type of army, able to think for themselves, was a more powerful one than any other, and a more deadly one at that. One of the shadows transformed itself into that of a woman, taking only the shape of her body and keeping her monster-like appearance. Her body was covered in black scales and her tail flowed behind her like a living and breathing thing. As her violet eyes met Riku's, she lovingly caressed his face with her clawed hand.

"_Master has come to us. He asks for our help. We honor his lordship, and we do as he pleases._" Riku didn't know why or how, but his light was totally eclipsed by his darkness for this moment in time. He felt that part of him stir, the one he had seen thanks to Maleficent, and not being able to control it because of his depleted strength, he felt it take control of him again. It was just as soon as she uttered those words. They held mayor significance to his Dark side, apparently. As a type of side effect, he responded her with a deep, sensuous growl, and got one back as a reply. The shadow curled itself around him, as if she didn't want to let him go, and soon the others followed, circling him like cats would a dying mouse. She started purring, and didn't that make him smile.

As he licked her throat out of pure instinct, he kept talking to her in her mind. "_How about you get me out of here? This would be so much better if I were unbound._" The shadow gave him a toothed smile and granted him what he wanted. She settled her hands around the chains and soon thereafter, a green glow emerged from her claws, undoing his cuffs and freeing him from his prison at last. How had she done it? It was a miracle she survived. No one could live through an imitation of magical signature as she had done, especially the one that belonged to Maleficent. Not caring to understand things for now, he shook his arms and legs free and promptly took the shadow in his arms. What happened next surprised his lighter side, yet there was no way to stop. He was in very deep on this part of him.

"_I'm hungry_." And as he opened his mouth, he sunk his elongated fangs into the creature's neck and sucked hard. She moaned out loud, making the other shadows growl in response. To his immense pleasure, and his egoistic side, she limply fell on him as she squirmed with delight. Chuckling against her throat, he kept on draining her of her life essence. His weakness dissipated, and as life coursed through him again, he felt something materialize on his back. Because he wanted to know what they were, he removed his teeth from his biting place and turned his head around, now looking at what appeared to be wings. Confusion was clear to read on his face apparently because the shadow responded his doubt in a heartbeat.

"_The wings belong to our commanders, our masters. It is the way they travel, and the way they show their status to everyone else. Yours are the biggest I have seen in some time. As a symbol, they represent what we are and our union with Darkness, and that bond has given you the will to ignore the pain they generate. It is Darkness gift to us, along with many others._" Come to think of it, he did recall having them on Play Island. Again, thanks to Maleficent, the bitch. Giving an experimental shrug, he felt how his wings moved in synchronization with his shoulders, acting as if they had been there all along. If he hadn't known better, he would say he had had them since birth. But he knew that that was not the case. Then he felt the need to ask of her what were they named, these creatures that had helped him, because he wanted to call them by their given title. "_We are called Shadowniers. We are the faithful servants of the Stalkers. We are here to please, obey, be commanded over, and fight. That is our purpose in life_."

"_Is that what I have become?_"

"_You… were never this way before?_" When he shook his head no, she continued. "_Then you must have awoken by those beings of Light. They certainly bring the worst out of us_."

Yes, he thought, that was definitely her. Alice sure did fit the bill right about now. Thinking about her was having its repercussions, though. Again he felt that same desire for her and for some reason, the Shadownier felt it. "_Ah, you have been near this creature, have you not? I can sense it in the way you shudder, the way your fangs elongated even more. Your body is also feeling its toll_." Yeah, he sure as hell felt it too, in the way his cock reacted to his simple memory of her. But it was not her that attracted him per se, it was her light. He needed it as he breathed air, as sure as he needed to consume food for his daily survival. And in his crazed mind, he wanted to find her. Wanted to take her with him and devour every single inch of that amazing thing that she carried with her all the time. He was starved for it. He roared as his mind took in the pleasurable ways he could achieve his goal and his minions followed suit, granting him their help, a weapon that could be unleashed without mercy upon those weaklings' souls.

Biting the female in front of him again, he observed the other shadows and saw some of them transform themselves into that of human bodies, getting ready for what his mind couldn't comprehend, but for what his instincts certainly did. He needed more of this consumption, yet he didn't want to kill the one he was holding. She did show that she was powerful enough. So instead, he licked the shadow's neck and sealed the punctures with his saliva, and fell on top of another smaller one. This time, though, he felt a savage need to unleash his strength on someone and this unlucky shadow was what he needed. Grabbing it by the head, he bit deeply onto his prey's neck and drunk. While the others waited impatiently for their turn, he buried his elongating claws on its head and held it tight, making it howl in agony and pain. Its screams made him go even madder than he was, and the pleasure he gained from them was unimaginable. The only thing that could top this weird, fulfilling moment was far away he didn't know where, so he had to satisfy his hunger with this for now. After sucking it dry, he crushed its bones with his bare hands and laughed like a maniac, with deep tones that made the nearest shadow want to jump his bones. Crawling on the floor, he repeated the same process with almost twenty Shadowniers, milking them dry and killing them afterwards. He then called forth his first shadow, that female that had earned her well-deserved prize of life for helping him in his time of need.

As she reached his lounging spot on the floor, he took her by the waist and turned her around, making her kneel on all fours. "_I pronounce you my second in command, and I will now give you a new name. How about Ashling?_" When she gave her assent, he gave a long, deep growl of satisfaction. And while the other Shadowniers celebrated this fact and crawled around them in lazy circles, Riku did the unthinkable. Taking her by the waist again, he took himself in hand and entered the female from behind. He had been hard ever since he started to feed on her, thanks to his memories, and now he was about to burst. While Ashling cried out her pleasure, he started taking things hard, just the way he was starting to like them. Relief had never mattered to him before, but it was his sole priority now. And when he finally reached his peak, long after she had achieved hers, he threw his head back and roared to the skies, making a silent vow in the process.

He was going to find Alice, and claim what he already had by words.

* * *

><p><em>oooOooo<em>

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><p>A beautiful melody could be heard somewhere, accompanied by a haunted lyric that made no sense whatsoever.<p>

"… _we pray… hearts will blend… my little friend…_"

"Ugh…"

Who was that? Was someone there? I didn't know, but whoever that voice belonged to sure was heavenly.

"Never deny… never deny…"

"Huh…?"

After I groaned for a third time, I opened my eyes in search of that beautiful song's location. It carried so much sadness that I wanted to ask the person why that was. But I immediately closed them again due to the onslaught clarity. Jesus, where was I, the sun? Soon afterward I felt acute pain coming from everywhere. What had happened for me to hurt like this? I barely remembered anything. But when I said it hurt everywhere, I _meant_ it. My back was, by far, the worst out of it. I tried to shift positions on the place I lay, which felt soft and cushiony, but that turned out to be a big NO. Pain shot down my spine and I cried out loud. I tried to shift again to make myself as comfortable as I could but I apparently had forgotten that big NO that had resounded in my mind not so long ago. I shouted out again, this time shedding some tears in the process.

"Oh my, are you alright?"

"Please… it hurts!"

"Yes of course, right away! Girls, come quickly! She needs help, please!"

Because my eyes were full of tears, I only heard three tiny pops nearby. Then I tuned out because the pain was too much. What was wrong with my body? Why did it ache so much? I wanted to somehow stop this nonsense, but if I moved a muscle I was sure to pass out from the whippings of the pain.

"Wait child, stop screaming! You need to stay still if you want to feel better!"

Stay still? I was already paralyzed by the damn pain! I felt something moving, though, so I roughly estimated that that was where most of the pain was coming from. I tried to stop it, I really did, but how could you control some unknown part of your body? And it really was a strange thing, what with all the fluttering and speedy movements it was making. The women around me tried to hush me again and again, but that wasn't working. Through my hoarse screams, I heard one of them saying something weird, something about a 'healing spell'. Whatever that meant, hopefully it would make the pain stop. After a few seconds, or hours (it felt like that to me), of chanting on their part, and agonizing screams from mine, the pain receded bit by bit. By the time it stopped to a dull aching, I was panting like I had run a five mile marathon. It was not pretty.

"There, that's better."

Prying my eyes open, I immediately spotted the kind voice that had helped me through this ordeal. She had a smile upon her elderly face, one that clearly struggled with worry still. Next to her were two other women, who looked to be about the same age as the first one. They looked troubled too, and it made me wonder just how much had I made them go through in such a short time. Noticing my slight distress, the one smiling offered me her hand and stated her name to be Flora. She also introduced me to the other two as Fauna and Merryweather. It was kind of funny how their names matched their dresses, red, green and blue respectively.

"Here Flora, hopefully this will come in handy."

"Ah yes, thank you dear. Oh and by the way," she turned to me again, "this is Aurora."

Oh yeah. I recognized her from when I woke up with my screaming attack. Flora gave me what Aurora had brought with her, which happened to be a pitcher of water, and gave me a glass. After telling them my name, I gulped drank the entire thing in one go. Downing half the pitcher, I handed the glass back to her. Feeling grateful to all of them, I uttered my sincerest thanks and tried, for their sake, to smile. It ended up being some sort of grimace but it was better than nothing, right? But as my eyesight got better and my mind cleared the rest of its fogginess, I noticed something strange. Gasping, I asked out loud something that should have never crossed my mouth.

"What _ARE_ you?"

"Why the nerve! I ought to teach you some lessons in manners, missy!"

"Calm down, Merryweather. It was merely a simple question…"

"That needs no answer. I mean look at her! She's just the same as us! What sort of question was that, anyway?"

Same as them? What the hell was she talking about? As far as I knew, I had no _wings_.

Wings… That sort of rang a bell. Trying hard to uncap the veiled memories of my mind, I saw flitting images that scared me to death. And being the curious person that I am, I dived in head first in them because I desperately wanted to know what had happened. My mind suddenly took a deep dive on them, making me shudder in fear, anger, sadness and helplessness. Everything, every single damn thing that occurred that night passed through my eyes like a comet in the dark sky. It had me crying out in anguish and gripping someone's hand with terrible force. I had to do it, though. That hand painfully reminded me that this was very much real and not a nightmare, just like I was wishing for it to be.

"What… what in the world… is going on?" I whispered.

"Well…" answered Fauna, who happened to be the holder of my hand, "we were wondering if you could tell us exactly the same thing. We only know you are not from this world…"

"Then where the hell am I? At least answer me that…"

"This place is called the Enchanted Dominion. Aurora here is the world's princess."

_Princess?_ "I'm not on the island anymore, as in nowhere near it?"

"I'm afraid not" said Aurora. "Wherever you are from, this world is not it."

Those words… There was something about them that made me cry out in denial. It just couldn't be! Everything that I treasured and every person that somehow, during a short year, had become special to me… All of that had been left behind? How? Why?

"No, this is not happening! IT ISN'T!" I thrashed against Fauna's arms, now noticing that she had embraced me sometime during my inner turmoil. "My home, my friends, Anita! Chris…" Letting the fire simmer, I cried against her chest. It was so unjust! Just when I had made the best out of life and I was finally happy, it was all taken away from me. The world was most unfair to those who were already unlucky in the first place and didn't I know that. As time moved on, I felt the tears dwindle and dry. My heart was still a mess but since I felt a bit calmer, my rationale was trying to inject some of its own thoughts through me. It wanted to know, to ask, to demand actually, if there was any possible way of getting back to the island. Falling to its pleas, I spoke in hushed tones what would be a futile, yet needed, question.

"Can you get me back home?"

"We absolutely wish we could do more than this," answered Flora.

"But?" There was obviously one in there.

"But our magic is not as strong as you think."

"Magic? As in real, _actual_ magic?"

"Yes girl! Can't you remember how we ended your pain?" interrupted Merryweather. Yes, I had thought the words 'healing' and 'spell' quite odd, but actually knowing that it was magic… Well, it left me speechless to say the least. I decided to follow on their word play and asked if there was someone capable of such 'magic'. I really did want to go back home through any means necessary, even if those were freaking strange…

"How about Yen Sid?" offered Fauna.

"That's right! Why didn't we think of that before?"

"Um, we were trying to calm her down so it probably slipped out of our minds?"

Chuckling, Flora addressed me in a matter of fact tone. "Now child, listen here. We are to depart this world and search for Master Yen Sid. While we are gone, I suggest you stay with Aurora. She'll tell you what she knows and can. But you must promise us that you will do nothing reckless, all right?"

That was a strange request, but I agreed nonetheless.

"Good. Before we leave, there is just one more detail we need to address. Are you aware of... what you are?"

"What I am? Well I'm fully human, if that's what you mean."

Sighing, she walked over to a mirror nearby and whispered some strange words to it. Was it magic? But why was she using it? Suddenly, the mirror rose from the floor and floated all the way to where I was, landing in a neat way right in front of the bed. I started thinking if her mind had lost a screw or something, but then that thought switched right towards me. Because what I saw in that mirror made absolutely no sense.

"Is this part of your magic trick?"

"It is not!" yelled an indignant Merryweather. "What you see is what you have to accept! That right there is what we call reality, so wake up daisy! It's time to rise and shine!"

Believe it or not, I didn't feel the anger that I was supposed to at those words. I barely even twitched. I was at a loss for words. Only one question roamed in my mind.

Were those wings protruding from my back?

Whoever controlled this thing called life was really fucked up. Seriously.


End file.
